The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has apologised to President Cyril Ramaphosa for flighting a pre-recorded message that included a re-take of his address to the nation on Thursday evening.

While doing a first take on his address, read from a teleprompter at the SABC's parliamentary studios, Ramaphosa starts his address, but a couple of seconds in, makes a mistake which he flags by saying: "Let's start again. I made a mistake." 

The version was evidently not meant to be aired, but somehow landed on viewers' screens.

Ramaphosa's address focused on the current violence-against-women protests and xenophobia in parts of the country.

"The public broadcaster wishes to apologise to the president of the republic and the nation for any embarrassment caused in this unfortunate breach of the news production process," SABC spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu said in a statement.

"The SABC takes this issue seriously and can assure the president and the public that due process will be followed and appropriate action taken."

South Africans have had mixed reactions about the blunder on social media.